Device for generating, adding and subtracting digital sequences of optical pulses

ABSTRACT

In order for binary optical pulse sequences to be able to be added and/or subtracted in the context of an electro-optical device and a method for the secure transmission of information using optical signals, an interferometer is used, which has at least one electro-optical switch or modulator positioned in one of its branch sections.

[0001] The present invention is directed to a device for generating, adding and subtracting digital, preferably binary sequences of optical pulses, and to a method for the secure transmission of information.

[0002] One of the greatest problems to be overcome in the future of telecommunications will be to increase the security of information transmission and, in particular, to protect the information to be transmitted from unauthorized tapping or unwanted corruption. One secure method provides for encoding the binary encoded message by adding it to a stochastic binary key, which is as long as the message itself. The result is a stochastic binary sequence, which can only be decoded by subtracting the key. This method, referred to as the “one time pad” method, is absolutely secure as long as the key, which is as long as the message itself, is only used once.

[0003] The object of the present invention to render possible the above described method in reliable fashion, employing optical signals as well.

[0004] This objective is achieved by a device as set forth in claim 1 and by a method as set forth in claim 12.

[0005] A preferred communications system in accordance with the present invention is defined in claim 13.

[0006] Optical signals are generating a great deal of interest because of their, as a rule, extremely high propagation rates, and because they can be processed in parallel and combined with existing electronic telecommunications devices.

[0007] The stochastic binary sequence, which is used as a key, can be generated, for example, using an optical random-number generator, or it can be obtained electronically and converted into an optical signal.

[0008] The present invention is elucidated in the following on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments, with reference to the attached drawing, whose figures show:

[0009]FIG. 1: a diagram of the addition and subtraction elements, respectively, on the basis of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, mirror S3 being movable back and forth, for example, by a piezo element for precise tuning;

[0010]FIG. 2: a qualitative representation of the addition of pulse sequence A1 to pulse sequence B1. 01 represents the added sequence in output 01 of the interferometer from FIG. 1; 02 representing the pulse sequence in the other output 02.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention encompasses optical systems which make it possible for two light pulse sequences to be generated and then optically added or subtracted.

[0012] In one specific embodiment of the present invention described here, to summarize briefly, two optical pulse sequences A and B are generated from existing electronic pulse sequences. One of these, carries, for example, the information, the other, the stochastic key. The interference that exists between the two synchronous pulse sequences is used to optically add the random sequence to the optical pulse sequence that contains the information. The element required for this is described in greater detail in the following.

[0013] The purpose of the binary addition element is to make possible the direct addition of optical binary information, thus: 0+0=0, 1+0=0+1=1, 1+1=0. Since the subtraction in the binary, single-digit arithmetic space corresponds to the addition, the element is also able to use this to subtract: 0−0=0, 1−0=0−1=1, 1−1=0.

[0014] From a continuous, non-pulsed, coherent light beam or a monotonic sequence of coherent optical pulses, the optical element described here generates two differently encoded binary pulse sequences, the coding being arbitrarily externally predefinable. The two pulse sequences A, B are subsequently added and/or subtracted interferometrically and received as output signals 01 and 02 in output 01 and 02, respectively.

[0015] As a first preferred specific embodiment, FIG. 1 shows a Mach-Zehnder interferometer system, which, with the assistance of two electro-optical switches A1, B1, makes it possible to impress the electronically existing pulse sequences on a monotonic, coherent, optical pulse sequence or on a continuous, coherent light beam in input E of the interferometer.

[0016] In addition, in accordance with the present invention, two-dimensional signals are able to be processed when the electro-optical switches and modulators are employed together with an imaging system. The design of such systems may include a collective lens, which is positioned outside of the interferometer and in whose object plane are situated the two-dimensional electro-optical modulators or switches. In addition, two very similar collective lenses may be positioned within the particular branch section of the interferometer; in any case, the useful signals are then received in the image plane of the optical system.

[0017] Given high local coherence, i.e., given a small or punctiform light source or very parallel optical radiation, signals which are severely temporally incoherent, this means broadband signals, are possible, since the Mach-Zehnder interferometer and the following interferometers, mentioned by name, are so-called white-light interferometers, which, in the context of an optical path difference of the two interferometer arms of less than about 3 μm, are excellently suited for generating white-light interference patterns. Thus, for example, one single stochastic signal, which is injected in one of the branch sections, may be used for a multiplicity of spectrally separate optical frequencies. When the optical path length is adjusted by the difference amounting to approximately zero or around less than 0.5 μm, virtually the entire optical spectrum may be substantially utilized simultaneously, since this condition then corresponds more or less to the optical destructive white-light interference.

[0018] In accordance with FIG. 1, mirror S1 splits the monotonic pulse sequence into two monotonic pulse sequences of half intensity. Modulators A1, B1 impress the code containing the particular information on the two monotonic pulse sequences.

[0019] The one code is, for example, a stochastic binary key, the other contains the binary encoded message. One of the two pulse sequences undergoes a phase shift of half of a wavelength, e.g. a λ/2 delay.

[0020] The two pulse sequences are then brought to interference at mirror S2. If the interferometer is correctly tuned, then, at output 01, a pulse sequence, corresponding to a sum or difference of binary pulse sequences A, B in both arms of the interferometer, leaves the interferometer. In this context, the interferometer is tuned such that the optical paths are the same in both arms.

[0021] Due to the additional λ/2 delay, pulses which occur in both arms interfere in such a way that they leave the interferometer at output 02.

[0022] Pulses which occur in only one arm leave the interferometer at both outputs 01 and 02.

[0023] Pulses which do not occur in any of the arms do not occur in any of the outputs. For that reason, only in output 01 does one find a binary sum or difference of the two pulse sequences.

[0024] If one disregards the λ/2 delay plate, then the sum or difference occurs at output 02, not, however, at output 01.

[0025] Crucial here is that the electro-optical switches introduce the same additional optical paths in both arms. If this is not the case, then one may lengthen or shorten the optical path in one of the arms, e.g., by shifting mirror S3, making the optical paths in both arms the same again.

[0026] Exemplarily plotted in FIG. 2 on the basis of this method is the addition of two pulse sequences A, B. Pulse sequence A is added to pulse sequence B; synchronous pulses in both sequences are observed at output 02. In this instance, the set-up according to FIG. 1, including the λ/2 delay, was used.

[0027] The pulse heights in FIG. 2 are only a qualitative representation of the ratios and are not true-to-scale.

[0028] Thus, the principle underlying the addition and subtraction element, respectively, is that two coherent optical pulses are interferometrically made to zero by a phase shift of λ/2 in one output, and exit the interferometer in another output. The type of interferometer used is not critical.

[0029] All two-beam interferometers may be used as a basis for the addition and/or subtraction element. Other possible set-ups, besides the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, include, for example, the Michelson interferometer or the Jamin interferometer.

[0030] Necessary is merely the spatial splitting of a coherent light beam into two components, impressing the two pulse encodings on the two beam components, and the subsequent interferometric superposition, either without a phase shift or with a phase shift of λ/2, depending on which output of the interferometer one wants to use.

[0031] In the context of monochromatic light, whole multiples of the wavelengths may also be added to these phase shifts. As long as the entire optical path difference remains within the coherence length, this assertion applies to polychromatic light as well. The technology for this exists and involves, for example, delay plates or movable elements (such as mirrors) of the interferometer.

[0032] Along the lines of the present invention, a monotonic pulse sequence need not be injected already at the input of the interferometer. The pulses may also be generated, for example, by the electro-optical modulators or switches in the arms of the interferometer, together with the encoding.

[0033] The use of the addition element in telecommunications makes it practical to replace all optical elements with corresponding fiber optic elements, such as replacing semi-transparent mirrors with fiber couplers, etc.

[0034] An implementation of the present invention in integrated optics is also advantageously possible. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electro-optical device for generating, adding and/or subtracting binary optical pulse sequences, characterized by an interferometer, which has at least one electro-optical switch or modulator positioned in one of its branch sections.
 2. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein the interference pattern is generated by a phase shift in the electro-optical switch or modulator.
 3. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein the interference pattern is generated by a phase shift in the electro-optical switch or modulator in accordance with a stochastic digital optical signal.
 4. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 3, wherein the interference is generated between the optical signal in the one branch section having the electro-optical switch or modulator, and an injected binary optical signal.
 5. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 3, wherein an additional electro-optical modulator or switch is positioned in the other branch of the interferometer.
 6. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 4, wherein the binary optical signal is generated by the additional electro-optical switch or modulator.
 7. The electro-optical device as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the interferometer is a multibeam interferometer and, in particular, a two-beam interferometer.
 8. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 7, wherein the interferometer is a Mach-Zehnder, a Michelson, or a Jamin interferometer.
 9. The electro-optical device as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the modulators or switches are two-dimensional, spatially resolved modulators or switches.
 10. The electro-optical device as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the individual optical elements are optical fiber elements.
 11. The electro-optical device as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical elements are integrated optical elements.
 12. A method for the secure transmission of information using optical signals, where optical pulse sequences are generated in a device in accordance with one of the claims 1 through
 10. 13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein in a two-beam interferometer having electro-optical switches or modulators, phase shifts are generated in both arms, and always when there is a superposition of two light pulses at the output of the interferometer, the output used contains the destructive interference of both pulses.
 14. A communications system comprising a device and a method as recited in one of the preceding claims. 